Shipping-box.



G. A. LOOCKERMAN.

SHIPPING BOX.

APPLIOATION PILED IEB.Z9, 1908.

Patented Sept. 14-, 1909.

2 SHEETSSHEBT 1.

Z w Z? \w/v a t 7 1413011791 CHARLES A. LOOCKERMAN,

T FIG OF CRISFIELD, MARYLAND.

SHIPPING-BOX.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES A. LOOOKER- MAN, citizen of the United States, residing at Crisfield, in the county of Somerset and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shipping- Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention comprehends certain new and useful improvements in shipping boxes and relates particularly to an improved construction of shipping box designed for the transportation of soft-crabs.

In shipping soft-crabs, it has heretofore been the practice of the shipper to pack the crabs in sea-grass, and to place ice within the box in direct contact with the crabs. This practice has resulted in killing the crabs before they reach their destination, and it is obvious that if the crabs are shipped to more or less remote point-s, re-icing is necessary,

which, under the conditions just na1ned,

practically necessitates repacking of the crabs and access to the compartment in which they are contained, so that the dealer or one who receives the case or box is by no means certain that it is an original package in the same condition as it was originally. In order to overcome these defects and to provide means whereby the ice will be kept entirely separate from the crabs in transit and to also provide means whereby the box or case may be reiced without destroying the seal of the case, or otherwise affecting the integrity of the contents, and in fact, without permitting any access to the crabs themselves in the reicing operation, is the aim of my invention, which consists in a simple, durable and efficient construction of shipping box for soft crabs that may be cheaplymanufactured and efiectively used for the desired purposes just named.

The invention also consists in certain constructions and arrangements of the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe and then point out the novel features thereof in the appended claim.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved soft crab shipping box, the slide in the hinged lid of the box being shown in a partially open position; Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of my improved box;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 14, 1969.

Application filed February 29, 1908. Serial No. 418,526.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional View thereof; and Fig. 4 is a horizontal section.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

My improved box 1 may be of any desired shape, although it is preferably'rectangular, as shown, and it may be composed of wood suitably braced at its corners to withstand hard usage and of any desired length, width and height. In the bottom of the box 1 I secure a rectangular and preferably oblong and longitudinally disposed casing 2 which projects upwardly as shown and which is designed to receive and hold the can or tank 5 for the refrigerant. The said can is formed in its bottom with a plurality of orifices 4 registering with apertures 5 in the bottom of the box, as best seen in Fig. 3, so as to provide suitable drain openings for the melted ice.

Relatively short corner posts 6 are secured in the interior of the box as shown and together with the casing 2 form supports for holding the lowermost of a series of superposed trays 7, which may be of any desired number, according to the requirements of -the case, or as judgment may dictate, proportionate to the height of the box 1. In the present instance, I have shown two of these trays, one above the other so as to provide three compartments within the box, said compartments being designated A, B and C, respectively. Each of the trays 7 is preferably formed with longitudinally extending slots 8 formed in its bottom so as to provide circulating air spaces from one tray to the next. Each of the trays is also formed with an outer or marginal upstanding rim 9 to which handles 10 are secured to provide for the ready insertion and removal of the trays and each tray is further formed with an inner rim 11 secured to the bottom of the tray and projecting upwardly therefrom and designed to slip over and around the ice tank 3, as best illustrated in Fig. 3. The inner and outer rims l1 and 9 of one tray serve as supports for the tray next above. Preferably each of the inner rims is formed with a series of orifices 12 so that the cold air may have better access to and effect upon the crabs contained in the respective compartments. As best seen in Fig. 4, it is to be particularly noted that each of the compartments entirely surrounds the ice tank 8 and the best refrigerating effect is thereby obtained.

My improved shipping box 1 is provided with a hinged lid 13 designed to be secured in closed position by means of a hasp and staple I l and a seal 15 which may be impressed with the name or trade-mark of the shipper, as a guaranty of the contents of the box.

In order that access may be had to the ice tank 3 without breaking the seal or otherwise rendering accessible the crabs within the several compartments, the said lid 13 is formed with a longitudinally extending opening 1() commencing near one end thereof and extending entirely therethrough to the opposite end, as best seen in Fig. 1. Longitudinal cleats 1.7 are secured to the top surface of the lid 13 with their opposing edges overhanging the said opening 16 as best illustrated in Fig. 2, and transverse cleats 18 are secured to the ends of the lid, as shown. A sliding closure 19 is provided for the opening 16 leading to the ice tank, and said closure is mounted to slide underneath the longitudinal cleats 17 and outwardly underneath one of the end cleats 18, the said cleats thereby constituting the means for holding the closure 19 properly in place, while at the same time the longitudinal cleats serve to produce an air excluding seal or joint along the side edges of the opening 16. The closure 19 may be held in closed position in any desired way. In the present instance I have shown the closure as provided with an eye 20 arranged for engagement with a hook 521 pivotally attached to the lid 13. 4

19 designates a transversely extending cleat which is secured to one end of the closure 19 and to the lower face thereof as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the said cleat 1.9 serving the purpose of limiting the outwardly sliding movement of the closure by abutting against one end of the tank 3. By this means a very cheap and eflicient con struction of closure is formed for the lid 13 and one which may be easily opened so that the tank 3 may be supplied with ice without permitting any access to be had to the crabs contained in the compartments of the box.

From the foregoing description in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that I have provided a very simple, durable and efficient construction of shipping box or case particularly designed for soft crabs which may be sealed by the shipper after the box has been packed and which may be reiced in transit without permltting any access to be had to the compartments of the box without destroying the shippers seal, thereby insuring that the con tents of the box will reach the assignee as an original package. Furthermore, it is obvious that the box itself, even after reaching its destination may be used as a refrigerator for the crabs, the lid being locked by a padlock, the key of which is in the cu s;

tody of the chef so that he alone may remove? the crabs from time to time, as orders are received therefor, the purloining of the crabs by his assistants being thereby prevented, and that without the necessity of stowing the box in the refrigerator of the hotel or restaurant which, owing to its size would be manifestly inconvenient.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A shipping box comprising a body portion having therein a central ice tank and a series of trays surrounding the ice tank on all sides and held from inward movement thereby, a hinged lid secured to the body portion and formed with an opening extending longitudinally therethrough commencing at one end thereof and terminating in the other end, a transverse cleat secured to the upper side of the lid and extending across the opening at the end of the lid, longitudinally extending cleats secured to the upper side of the lid and extending from one end to the other of the box and overhanging the side walls of said opening and also overhanging the walls of the ice tank, said cleats projecting above the upper face of the lid, a fixed piece bridging the space between the cleats at one end of said longitudinal opening in the lid, a closure mounted to slide in said longitudinal opening with its side edges extending underneath the longitudinal cleats, the closure passing out in the opening movement beneath the transverse cleat, a transversely extending cleat secured to the under side of the closure at the inner end thereof and engaging the ice tank to limit the outward movement of the closure so that it shall not uncover the end trays of the box upon its opening movement, a fastening device for the closure secured to the closure and to the stationaryend portion of the lid bridging the space between the longitudinal cleat before referred to, whereby the fastening device will be projected by the upward projection of the cleats against accidental disengagement.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES A. LOOOKERMAN. [1,. s]

Witnesses:

J. OSBORN NELSON, GoRDoN T. ATKINSON. 

